4 most memorable moments of Hulk Hogan in the nWo

Ken
Hulk Hogan was the leader of the nWo [Credit: WWE.com]
Hulk Hogan was the leader of the nWo [Credit: WWE.com]

WWE fans were devastated by the news of an all-time great passing away just yesterday. For those unaware, the legendary Hulk Hogan passed away at 71 years old.

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This was obviously tragic news, as Hogan's impact on the industry can't be overstated. Alongside Vince McMahon's vision, Hogan changed pro wrestling forever in the 1980s with the Rock 'n' Wrestling era.

That wasn't the only time that The Hulkster reshaped the business, however. Hogan later moved to World Championship Wrestling with mixed success until he shockingly joined The Outsiders in what became known as the New World Order of professional wrestling.

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The nWo remains one of the most iconic factions in pro wrestling history, and Hulk Hogan was at the center of it. There were numerous memorable moments featuring The Hulkster in the group. This article will take a stroll down memory lane and reminisce about some of the most memorable moments, matches, and incidents with Hulk Hogan in the New World Order stable.

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Below are the four most memorable moments of Hulk Hogan in the nWo.

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#4. Hulkamania ended when Hogan turned heel and joined the nWo

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WCW was in a strange place in July 1996. The company had just created Nitro in the latter half of 1995 and was going head-to-head with Monday Night RAW. Slowly, the project was becoming slicker, edgier, and more entertaining than what the-then WWF was putting out.

On July 7, 1996, things truly reached a new level. The Outsiders, Scott Hall and Kevin Nash, were battling Team WCW just weeks after both men made their Nitro debuts. WWE Hall of Famer and wrestling icon Hulk Hogan showed up towards the end of the bout.

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In a moment most never saw coming, with the exception of WWE Hall of Famer Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, Hogan turned heel and dropped a leg on Macho Man Randy Savage. He then aligned himself with Nash and Hall, officially revealing the New World Order. This changed wrestling forever.

#3. Hogan losing the world title to Lex Luger was memorable

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With the rise of the New World Order, WCW began to dominate WWE in the ratings. With that came the nWo's dominance over World Championship Wrestling. It seemed as if the stable was destroying talent and disrupting everything on a weekly basis.

On the August 4, 1997 edition of WCW Monday Nitro, everything changed. At least, things changed briefly. In the main event of the program, future WWE Hall of Famer Lex Luger defeated Hulk Hogan to win the WCW World Championship.

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Hulk Hogan losing was shocking. The Hulkster rarely lost matches, and especially world titles. While Luger's reign wasn't particularly long, it did give both the WCW roster and fans hope that the dominant and destructive nWo could be defeated.

#2. The Hulkster losing to Goldberg was historic

Almost two years to the day after Hulk Hogan joined the New World Order, the WWE Hall of Famer put his title on the line on a special edition of WWE Monday Nitro. This Nitro aired live from the Georgia Dome, and it was a massive event.

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Hulk Hogan's opponent that night was the young upstart Bill Goldberg. The latter was in the midst of his undefeated streak and even held the WCW United States Championship.

On this July 6, 1998 edition of WCW Nitro, Goldberg defeated Hollywood Hogan in around eight minutes. Just as with Lex Luger's victory, this was absolutely shocking. Again, Goldberg wouldn't exactly have a long reign, but it was still one of the biggest moments in wrestling.

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#1. Hulk Hogan vs. The Rock was truly iconic in WWE

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The New World Order launched in 1996. By the time WCW closed its doors in 2001, the stable had become a shell of its former self. It seemed as if the group was done forever when WWE bought the tape library and rights to the promotion.

Then, in 2002, Vince McMahon shocked the world. He brought back the nWo to unleash a lethal dose of poison in WWE. This led to Hulk Hogan battling The Rock in a dream match at WrestleMania 18.

This ended up becoming one of the best matches in Hogan's career. The Canadian crowd shockingly turned on The Rock and began cheering for Hulk. This eventually led to Hogan leaving the New World Order and bringing back the red and yellow. Still, it was an iconic last match for Hollywood Hogan in the nWo.

A former writer on why John Cena's heel turn has flopped HERE

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Edited by Jacob Terrell
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